Lady Rowena is the marchioness of the Garfield house and the wife of the famous dragon slayer. Not only that. She was Celina's stepmother and the main cause of her getting thrown out of the house.
Blonde, beautiful, and sharp as a dagger beneath all that lace. She stared down at Celina with a mix of suspicion and contempt.
"So you're the stray claiming to be Mallory?" she asked, fanning herself lazily. "Don't make me laugh."
"I'm not lying," Celina replied, lowering her gaze. "I just... had nowhere else to go."
"Then go back to nowhere," Rowena snapped, turning her back. "Take her away, Garrick. Throw her out. If she's a beggar, she can beg elsewhere."
The butler stepped forward, nodding stiffly.
"As you wish, my lady."
He reached for Celina's arm.
She stepped back quickly and tripped, falling onto the polished floor. The edge of the marble step sliced clean across her forearm as she went down.
Blood welled up instantly.
